1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal protection method and related system for a computer system, and more particularly, to a thermal protection method and related system wherein a keyboard controller of the computer system executes different thermal protection processes based on whether or not receiving the responded signals corresponding to over-temperature indication signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the progress of electronic technology, hardware levels of computer systems, such as desktops or laptops, have ascended increasingly to support high speed operations and complex image processing functionalities; in the meanwhile, a trend to minimization and lightening in appearance design has also become significant to meet the needs of both efficiency and artistry of the public. While the computer system is performing a high-speed access, the system temperature is raising promptly. Without adequate heat dissipation designs or thermal protection functions, the system temperature would easily exceed the safety scope in which the internal devices of computer system are under normal operation, and hence results in decreasing of efficiency or even permanent damages to devices.
A keyboard controller, disposed on the motherboard of prior art computer system, is utilized for processing signals inputted from keyboards and mice, and for detecting ambient temperature. When the system is over-temperature, the keyboard controller sends out an over-temperature indication signal, informing a basic input/output system to decelerate the central processing unit (CPU). After receiving the over-temperature indication signal, the basic input/output system must respond an acknowledgement signal to the keyboard controller. If the keyboard controller has not yet received the acknowledgement signal, the keyboard controller continues transmitting the over-temperature indication signals to the basic input/output system until the keyboard controller detects that the system temperature has reached a certain value, and controls the computer system to turnoff. For example, when the system temperature reaches 80 centigrade, the keyboard controller promptly sends out the over-temperature indication signal. If the keyboard controller has not yet received the acknowledgement signal outputted from the basic input/output system, the keyboard controller continues sending out the over-temperature indication signals until the system temperature reaches 100 centigrade, and at last turns off the power supply of computer system.
The above-mentioned thermal protection method has at least two drawbacks. First, within the duration that the keyboard controller continues sending out the over-temperature indication signals until the system be turned off, the computer system operates under a long-term high-temperature and results in overly increase of the probability of damage to internal devices; second, through the acknowledgement signal, the keyboard controller can only be aware that the basic input/output system has received the over-temperature indication signal, however, the keyboard controller cannot know whether the basic input/output system has controlled the central processing unit to decrease the execution speed or whether the central processing unit has finished deceleration. Therefore, the prior art thermal protection method cannot thoroughly protect the computer system from high temperature damages.